HED Jet 6 Plus

[Orcaman]

Hello. This is my first post on CycleChat and i am anticipating a fair amount of snarky answers to what is probably a stupid question to most of you, but i am willing to endure the humiliation to get your opinions. I was a competitive cyclist back when hair nets and shifters on the down tubes were popular. After a 30 year hiatus, I have gotten back into the sport. Unfortunately, i gained over 100 pounds as well. Currently, I am 62, 5'9" and i weigh 260 pounds. I am down 50 pounds from my initial weight of nearly 310 and plan on continuing until i reach my goal of 180-200. My question to you is, i recently purchased a pair of HED Jet 6 Plus wheels with the full understanding that according to HED, the weight limit is rated at 225. As my weight continues to drop towards and then below the 225 rating, is it ok to continue using the wheels or would you recommend that i shelve them until my weight is at or below the maximum rating. Could they have a catastrophic failure or would it be more of a broken spoke issue. I am looking forward to hearing from those of you who have far more experience and knowledge.

Mark

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Sorry, can't really answer your question. I'd ride them!
But hairnets and downtube shifters. We must have crossed swords somewhere.
Where are you based?

 

[Orcaman]

Currently i live in Simi Valley, California. At the time of hairnets and downtube shifters, i was living between Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Santa Ynez, California...You?

 

[fossyant]

They should be OK. I have a pair of the original HED jets from the 90's

 

[Drago]

Being in mind that the wheels are rated at 225 each, but there are two of them. Your 260, evenly distrubuted, is a load of 130 through each hoop, well within the limits. Im the same weight as you, albeit rather taller, and have never had wheel problems.

Just to be sure though, double check the specs are load per wheel (which is what most quote) and notmrider weight.

Well done with your progress so far, I hop myou reach your goal.

Edit - disregard everything ive just said above. Ive checked them out and its the rider weight that they quote, not the max load for a wheel. Unusual, but there you go. Id be susprised if you had a problem, but it is a gamble and zid be inclined to to risked it yet.

 

[Orcaman]

Thanks to all who made suggestions....Drago, thanks for the information. I am doing a 94 miler on Tuesday and my heart is whispering in one ear to use them, but my instincts are yelling in the other to rack them for a while. Besides, winds for that ride will be a tailwind of 25-30mph....and thanks for the encouragement...I WILL get to 180-200

 

[Beespoke]

Rack them... 18 & 24 spoke wheels aren't designed for such constent loads... Look at it this way a 10 stone whippet wouldn't consider them for loaded touring.

 

[mattobrien]

Personally I’d put them to one side until you reach the max weight limit.

They are lovely wheels and I am sure you’ll enjoy riding them and they’ll give you an extra incentive to drop the weight quickly. Hopefully I’ll be able to train outside a little more soon and get to ride my Jet 6s on the training TT bike

 

[Orcaman]

Personally I’d put them to one side until you reach the max weight limit.

They are lovely wheels and I am sure you’ll enjoy riding them and they’ll give you an extra incentive to drop the weight quickly. Hopefully I’ll be able to train outside a little more soon and get to ride my Jet 6s on the training TT bike

I have decided to put them aside until i hit 180-200. I did however make that choice after putting them through a 94 mile ride yesterday in which i had zero issues with them. Stupid choice? probably, but it was a promise i made to myself and the wheels. They rode like a dream, smooth as butter, albeit a bit noisy. Back to Clydesdale wheels for a while....

 

[russ.will]

To be honest, and speaking as a 220lb bloke down from 240lb, I'd just ride them but stay away from potholes, bunny hops and jumping down kerbs.

These limits are set with a fair old margin of safety built in and anyway, what is rider weight? Naked? Does include an extra kilo of winter clothing? Does it include lights, mudguards, 2x 800ml (4lb) of full bidons, seat post bag full of tools and tubes, jersey pockets stuffed with bananas, flapjack and energy bars and packa-a-mac rain layer? Hell! Does it account for your bike being a stripped back 6kg hill climber or a 9kg tank of a TT rig?

No it doesn't. It's a pretty meaningless limit as opposed to total system weight.

As long as spoke tension is tuned and even, you'd have to be extremely unlucky to have anything happen.

Russ